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    Nacua the ‘star’ of camp, honing downfield skills

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    LA Wide Receiver #12
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    The Athletic’s Nate Atkins reports that Rams WR Puka Nacua has been “the star” of training camp and is improving his downfield skill set.

    According to Atkins, Nacua made some off-field changes this spring after spending time at a holistic care facility. Although the “best shape of his life” storylines are often overplayed, Nacua’s improved offseason workout and diet habits reportedly have him “gliding faster downfield than he has before.” Nacua will remain a “rugged” centerfield dominator as he contends for the overall WR1 finish in fantasy, but it sounds like the Rams may also be honing his downfield route running, entering his age-25 season. Being a more complete receiver is only a good thing for his fantasy-scoring outlook.
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  • LA Wide Receiver #12
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    Rapoport said point blank, “Do not expect a Puka Nacua contract extension before the season. Do not.” Nacua is arguably the best receiver in the league, but off-field issues have become a serious concern, to the point that the Rams aren’t interested in signing him to a long-term deal at this moment. Nacua is set to hit free agency next offseason, but the Rams would simply place the franchise tag on him if they don’t have a deal in place before the new league year. The good news is that, according to Rapoport, Nacua is in a better place mentally than he has been in previous training camps. If Nacua can keep his head on straight and make it through the 2026 season without any more incidents, he will become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league next year.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
    Entering the final year of his rookie contract, there was some speculation that Nacua would hold out for an extension this offseason. That said, Nacua was present with the team in April for their offseason program, never truly giving any credence to the rumors. The somewhat troubled offseason notwithstanding, Nacua sets up well to return first-round value in fantasy circles as the primary option through the air for the Rams in 2026.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
    The last we heard of Nacua, he was being checked into a “luxury treatment facility” in Malibu just days after he was alleged to have bitten a woman and made “unprovoked antisemitic remarks” to her. It’s been a tumultuous few months for the 24-year-old receiver who has taken the league by storm since joining the Rams as a fifth-round pick back in 2023. Now in the final year of his rookie contract, Nacua faces the possibility of having to play out the year without an extension, given his current situation. The fact that he’s back with the Rams for their offseason program is a sign that things are trending in the right direction for him. We’ll see where things go from here.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
    Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, told The California Post that the 24-year-old has checked into a rehab facility in Malibu. Nacua has popped up in the news cycle most recently for a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles alleging he bit a woman on New Year’s Eve and made an “unprovoked antisemitic sentiment.” McCathern said, “the combination of stories ya’ll have run is certainly a contributing factor” to Nacua’s entry into the treatment center. Rams head coach Sean McVay said Monday he’s hopeful Nacua can grow from his offseason incidents and hopes he is a Ram for a “really long time.” Nacua is eligible for a contract extension soon, though contract negotiations may be slower than they were for his draft classmate, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as he works through his treatment amid recent incidents.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
    It’s been a forgettable few months for Nacua, who has found himself embroiled in some controversy as of late, and was recently named in a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles for biting a woman on New Year’s Eve and making an “unprovoked antisemitic statement.” McVay said he and the team have had conversations with Nacua and that the star receiver “understands what the responsibility is, not exclusive to just the production on the field,” and said that he’s hopeful Nacua can grow from these recent incidents. The former fifth-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is due for a massive payday after totaling 313 receptions for 4,191 yards and 19 touchdowns over his first three years in the league. It seems likely that a deal between Nacua and the Rams will be reached before the start of next season, but the recent string of incidents could slow that process.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
    According to Garafolo, based on his conversations, he believes Nacua’s extension may need to wait until the summer. Nacua, whose 4,191 receiving yards are second only to Ja’Marr Chase since entering the league in 2023, is due a big payday that will likely top the record-setting extension Jaxon Smith-Njigba just signed with the Seahawks. Nacua is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so we would expect a deal to get done before the start of the new league year. Nacua posted career-highs across the board last season, going for 129-1,715-10 while soaking up a league-high 129 targets.
  • LA Wide Receiver #17
    Financial investments at the wide receiver position could have been the Rams’ primary motivating factor, though having three high-end wide receivers can hardly be viewed as a negative, albeit a pricey one. Nacua is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will presumably sign “a significant second contract” soon. Adams is due $24 million this season and Brown is set to make $29 million. Florio believes today might have been the Rams’ self-imposed deadline for trading Adams away because his $6 million roster bonus just became fully guaranteed. It appears as though Adams will remain a Ram for 2026, but anything is possible. Stay tuned.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
    Answering a taunting flag on Riq Woolen by immediately toasting him for a touchdown in the third quarter, Nacua continued his reign of terror against the Seahawks. It was, amazingly, his fifth game of the season and playoffs to go over 160 yards. He’ll enter next year as a surefire WR1 and almost undoubtedly one of the first three receivers off the board after his league-leading 129 catches for 1715 yards and 10 touchdowns. There is some fragility here in the sense that Matthew Stafford is (even more) old and Nacua takes a lot of punishment on the field, but it’s hard to bet against the No. 1 wideout in a Sean McVay offense not delivering the goods.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
    Nacua’s 56 receiving yards tied with Colby Parkison for the team high in Sunday’s win over the Bears. His 10 targets led all Rams players, but Nacua was unable to get much of anything going through the air after going for 10-111-1 in last week’s win over the Panthers. The third-year receiver’s biggest play of the game came on a third-and-six in overtime when he converted a first down on a 16-yard gain to help move the Rams within field goal range. Kicker Harrison Mevis would nail a 42-yard field goal four plays later to send the Bears packing, as Nacua and the Rams now prep for an NFC West showdown with the Seahawks and a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Nacua went for a whopping 12-225-2 the last time the Rams played the Seahawks, and will hope to replicate some of those numbers next week in the Conference Championship game.
  • LA Wide Receiver #12
    And somehow it could have been better, because his one incomplete pass was a 30-yard downfield pass towards the end of the first half that it hit him right in the hands. Had Nacua caught it, he had a fairly good shot at a third score. The favorite for offensive player of the year continued his grind, helping Matthew Stafford out by breaking up a late would-be interception and using his efficiency to erase some of the trouble Stafford and Davante Adams had getting on the same page throughout the game. Nacua seems destined to continue churning out Overall WR1 Games against whoever the Rams draw in the Divisional Round.

Rotoworld

  • SEA Wide Receiver #15
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    The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell reports that the Seahawks are ramping up WR Tory Horton (shin) after a successful offseason surgery.

    The Seahawks shut Horton down after trading for WR Rashid Shaheed last year, citing a new shin injury. The trade came as a surprise. He and Shaheed possess similar skill sets, and Horton had already set two franchise records, so replacing him in the lineup due to poor play did not add up. Apparently, Horton played through discomfort in his shin for five games until the pain led to imaging, revealing a crack in his shin. Horton attempted to avoid surgery, but it was ultimately deemed necessary in February 2026, delaying his return. Bell adds that the coaching staff is “excited and curious to unleash” Horton and Shaheed in the same formations, “challenging the deep coverage of defenses.” Stressing the defense vertically should open up the short-to-intermediate areas of the field as well. Shaheed will likely be the more reliable boom-bust FLEX and could even ascend to WR3 status, but it is nice to know that the coaching staff still views Horton positively after the surprising in-season trade last year.
  • ARI Defensive Tackle #93
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    Cardinals signed DT Brodric Martin, formerly of the Raiders.

    While we are happy for Martin, we can’t help but wonder if this is related to the apparent left knee injury DT Walter Nolen appeared to suffer at today’s practice. Hopefully, the Cardinals are just playing it safe. Martin entered the NFL as a 2023 third-round pick with the Lions.
  • LA Defensive Tackle #99
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    Speaking to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop about former Rams DT Aaron Donald’s potential return, coach Sean McVay said his “arrow” is “trending upward.”

    We assume this means Donald’s football workouts are going well. McVay adds that he does not expect to hear from Donald until the Rams return to the team facility in Woodland Hills after training camp. They are currently practicing at Loyola Marymount University. According to the team site, the last public training camp practice is scheduled for August 6th. It sounds like we might get an update on Donald in a week or two.
  • NO Wide Receiver #0
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    New Orleans Football’s Mike Triplett reports that Saints WR Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) is participating fully at training camp.

    A “significant” hamstring injury prevented Tyson from participating in the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. He then remained limited throughout spring practices after the Saints drafted him in April. Earlier this week, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis revealed that Tyson had suffered “a small recurrence during the pre-draft process,” which explains his springtime limitations. The injury is now behind Tyson, and he has been practicing with the first-team offense since the Saints took the practice field on Wednesday. His new personal chef, a hyperbaric chamber and a recovery room are all part of his plan to maintain good health moving forward. Saints QB Tyler Shough notably complimented Tyson’s preparation and desire to improve. Tyson is slated to operate as the Saints’ WR2 while returning WR3 value or better in fantasy this season.
  • WAS Wide Receiver #13
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    Last Man Standig’s Ben Standig reports that Commanders WR Treylon Burks (foot soreness) sat out Thursday’s “on-field work.”

    Commanders coach Dan Quinn also said the team doesn’t see the soreness as a long-term issue, but it is a disappointing follow-up to what was reportedly a strong showing for Burks at the first training camp practice. The Commanders have a very thin wide receiver corps, so every injury matters. Hopefully, Burks is back before long.
  • FA Running Back #25
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    Colts hosted RB Kenny McIntosh for a workout on Friday.

    The Colts also hosted RB Marcus Major for a workout today. McIntosh suffered a torn ACL in July 2025 and was recently waived by the Seahawks.
  • ARI Defensive Lineman #97
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    Cardinals DL Walter Nolen left practice early on Friday after suffering an apparent knee injury.

    This is a bummer. A torn meniscus in his left knee ended Nolen’s 2025 rookie season. Multiple beat reporters say Nolen appeared to injure his left knee today. He had been drawing positive reviews in training camp thus far. Hopefully, this is only a short-term injury.
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    The Athletic’s Jesse Newell believes Chiefs WR Andrew Armstrong “appears” to have a chance to make the final roster.

    This isn’t exactly breaking news, but it is always worth keeping track of the players who might have a chance to catch passes from QB Patrick Mahomes. Newell compares Armstrong to WR Tyquan Thornton, who signed with the Chiefs in November 2024 before earning Mahomes’ trust the following offseason. Armstrong has spent the entire offseason training with the Chiefs and was allowed to take “numerous” first-team reps on Thursday. In his 2024 senior season at Arkansas, Armstrong (6'4/202) led the SEC in catches (78), receiving yards (1,140) and receiving yards per game (103.6). Newell believes “it would be an underdog tale if he makes the team,” so set your expectations accordingly, but feel free to track his progress this summer.
  • ARI Running Back #4
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    Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur said, “not one running back can take all 65 snaps” in a game.

    Regarding running backs who play “all 65 snaps,” LaFleur says that he has “seen that story when guys are a little bit overloaded,” it hurts them either in the short- or long-term. Fortunately for all involved, not even 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey plays on 100 percent of snaps. He handled 81.6 percent last year, which is extremely high. This is a bit of a straw man argument from LaFleur, who ultimately concluded his comments by saying he wants to keep his running backs fresh and healthy for 17 games. That makes sense, but when a player is taken with the No. 3 overall pick, like RB Jeremiyah Love, we should expect them to eventually settle into a workload in which they are playing on a comfortable majority of snaps. The Cardinals’ coaching staff is seemingly intent on keeping Love’s ADP in check. We’ll take it.
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    Cardinals signed CB Quinton Newsome, formerly of the Broncos.

    Newsome had a tryout with the Cardinals earlier in the week. He spent 2024-25 as a practice squad player with the Broncos. The Cardinals correspondingly placed CB Jaden Davis on injured reserve.